April Rhodes’ Riding Peplum

06 May April Rhodes’ Riding Peplum

I bought April Rhodes’ Riding Peplum and Party Dress pattern a while ago, but it got lost in a never-ending list of to-do’s and deadlines. I finally set aside time to make one, before leaving for SewDown Nashville (will blog about this soon), and I’m so glad I did.

April’s Staple Dress was one of the first garments I ever sewed and it’s one of my wardrobe staples (pardon the pun), so I couldn’t wait to try another one of her patterns. I love her simple garments, clear instructions, and overall design. I’ve had the chance to meet April on a few occasions and she is lovely; She’s so sweet and incredibly humble, despite her many talents. I’m super excited for her upcoming fabric line for AGF called Arizona.

The Riding Peplum comes together quickly. April includes colored pictures for each step, which is incredibly helpful. She’s also given directions to customize the pattern according to your torso (long or short) and gives helpful tips along the way.

I wasn’t sure I could pull off this shape, and honestly I’m still not sure, but I loved the way it turned out. I loved it so much in fact that I quickly made a second one! It’s clear that I like the color mint because if you aren’t looking closely, they appear to be the same top! Probably should have thought that one through.

Version 1: Nani Iro Double Gauze (I purchased this at Purl Soho but they don’t seem to have it in stock at the moment) I have never sewn with Double Gauze but decided to try it after reading Rae’s post about her favorite fabrics for garments. I didn’t know what I was missing! This stuff is dreamy. It’s so soft, easy to sew, and drapes beautifully. The only down side is it tends to wrinkle pretty easily. I ironed this top before these pictures (pinky swear) but it looks a little disheveled. I’ve also spilled tea on this top, have worn it pretty much every day since I made it, and have only have washed it once (gross), which might have something to do with it. Version 2: Lotta Jansdotter, Mormor, Pilvi in Mint

I used my favorite fabric from Lotta Jansdotter’s new line for my second version. I wanted the triangles to go in different directions for the bodice and skirt so I committed a sewing sin in order to accomplish this. I cut the bodice against the grain (sinner) and cut the skirt the “right” way. Karma came right back at me after this decision. Can anyone spot my giant mistake on this version?
I attached the armhole bias tape incorrectly and it’s on the wrong side of the top. Whoops! I blame the fact that I was trying to finish this during open sew at SewDown before the room closed at midnight. Late night sewing + 1 smuggled Miller Light from a friend= Guaranteed Seam Ripping. Instead of said seam ripping , I decided to call it a “design element” and pretend I did it on purpose.

Bonus and Word of Caution: You can twirl like whoa in this top, but be careful because I’ve had several Marilyn Monroe moments as a result. The wind tends to catch the bottom of the peplum just right and exposes your belly. Scandalous, that peplum. You can purchase your own copy of the Party Dress and Riding Peplum here. I already have fabric picked out for the Party Dress and can’t wait to make it. Thanks for the awesome pattern April!

*Photo Credit: JB Woodruff– So thankful he’s patient and willing to gather together his photography gear last minute before the sun goes down! And before I spilled something else on these much loved tops.